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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford and Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 13, the league announced Wednesday.
OFFENSE:
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Maye completed 24 of 31 passes (77.4 percent) for 282 yards and two touchdowns with a 126.0 passer rating in the Patriot’s 33-15 win over the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. He was the only quarterback to complete more than 75 percent of his passes and throw for at least 260 yards in Week 13.
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This is Maye’s first Offensive Player of the Week award and he is the first Patriots quarterback to receive the honor since Tom Brady (Week 11, 2017).
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Maye joins Mitchell Trubisky as the only former University of North Carolina quarterbacks to earn the honor.
DEFENSE:
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Benford recorded two tackles, a tackle for loss, an interception and a fumble recovery for a 17-yard touchdown in Buffalo’s 26-7 win at Pittsburgh. He is the first player since Kareem Jackson (Week 14, 2019) to record a tackle for loss, interception and return a fumble for a touchdown in a single game.
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This is Benford’s first Defensive Player of the Week award and he is the fifth Bills cornerback to earn the honor in the past 10 seasons (2016-25), joining Tre’Davious White (Weeks 7 & 15, 2019), Rasul Douglas (Week 17, 2023), Taron Johnson (Week 10, 2024) and Nickell Robey-Coleman (Week 5, 2016).
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Benford is the first former Villanova player to win Defensive Player of the Week and the second to win a Player of the Week award, joining Brian Westbrook (three-time winner).
SPECIAL TEAMS:
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McPherson converted on all six of his field goal attempts – 31, 42, 24, 33, 52 and 41 – as well as both of his point-after attempts in Cincinnati’s 32-14 win at Baltimore. His 20 points scored and career-high six made field goals are the most by any kicker in a single game this season.
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This is McPherson’s fourth Special Teams Player of the Week award, tying Doug Pelfrey for the most Special Teams Player of the Week awards in team history.
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2021: Weeks 1, 11
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2022: Week 4
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2025: Week 13
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McPherson joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith (10-time winner) and Eddy Piñeiro (four) as the only former University of Florida players to earn Player of the Week at least four times.